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Show Report

by Hywel Davies on 21 January 2012.

Challenges the team face are how to move the brand forward, retaining the Kenzo signature whilst also stamping their own identity on the collection.

Presenting their first menswear collection for Kenzo Homme, design duo Humberto Leon and Carol Lim invited their audience to an icon of Paris transport the RATP garage. “Since we arrived in Paris last summer, we literally haven't stopped moving, so introducing our first menswear collection for Kenzo at the Atelier RATP feels quite appropriate,” described the team who sent out a collection fit for men on the move.

The minimalist American artists Donald Judd and Dan Flavin were cited as inspiring the collection and the pared down, formal aesthetic was clearly a new direction for the Kenzo Homme. Focusing on menswear staples and the brand’s heritage, the collection utilized prints which have always been intrinsic to Kenzo’s aesthetic. Paisleys, checks, strips and medallion prints were placed on straightforward suits in muted colours including khaki, tan and claret. Strong outerwear included blouson jackets and duffel-style coats in cream and bottle green.

Whilst Kenzo menswear has previously shared a nostalgia towards the brand’s founder and his aesthetic, this collection signaled a modern and poignant new direction. The challenges the team face are how to move the brand forward, retaining the Kenzo signature whilst also stamping their own identity on the collection. This debut was not a radical declaration but a preparatory phase for the team, who will have time to decide on the future of Kenzo Homme.